Liverpool’s Comeback vs Barcelona in 2019 Revisited As Reds Face Same 0:3 Deficit vs Atalanta in UEL

Liverpool’s Comeback vs Barcelona in 2019 Revisited As Reds Face Same 0:3 Deficit vs Atalanta in UEL

Joel Reyes
updated at April 12, 2024 at 7:48 AM
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D. Origi
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Liverpool
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  • Liverpool lost 3-0 to Atalanta in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday night
  • The Reds faced that same deficit heading into the second leg of their semis clash with Barcelona in 2019
  • Jurgen Klopp's men recorded a miracle comeback at Anfield to advance to the Champions League final

Liverpool's dreams of winning the Europa League title took a huge hit on Thursday after losing to Atalanta in embarrassing fashion at Anfield.

All is not lost, though, for the Reds, who have previously erased a 0-3 deficit after the first leg of a European Cup tie.

Sports Brief looks back at Liverpool's miraculous comeback against Barcelona in the 2019 UEFA Champions League semi-finals.

Liverpool, Atalanta, Jurgen Klopp, Barcelona, Lionel Messi, Xherdan Shaqiri, Divock Origi, Luis Suarez
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp reacts during their game against Atalanta; Xherdan Shaqiri and Divock Origi celebrate after Liverpool score vs. Barcelona. Images: Peter Byrne/ Stu Forster.
Source: Getty Images

Barca crush Liverpool in first leg

Liverpool's 2019 Champions League triumph wouldn't be possible without the Reds' incredible fightback in the semis against Barcelona.

Jurgen Klopp's men looked like they were on their way out of the tournament after absorbing a humiliating 3-0 loss to Barcelona at Nou Camp in the first leg of their semi-final clash.

Luis Suarez opened the scoring with a strike in the 26th minute before Lionel Messi sealed the victory with a brace in the second half.

The Argentine star's second goal of the night was a thing of beauty, firing a free kick from 25 yards out into the top corner, per the BBC.

Given Barcelona's excellent performance in Spain, only a few people gave Liverpool a chance of becoming just the third team in history to erase a three-goal deficit after the first leg of a Champions League semi-final.

Liverpool's comeback for the ages at Anfield

Against all odds, the Reds staged an improbable comeback at Anfield. Buoyed by their home support, Liverpool produced one of their greatest performances on the European stage.

Divock Origi gave the home side hope, scoring an early goal in the seventh minute to cut Barcelona's lead on aggregate to 3-1, per Sky Sports.

They still faced an uphill climb, however, as the Catalan giants headed into the half-time break with that two-goal lead intact.

Liverpool came out firing after the restart, knowing that it was now or never for their Champions League campaign.

Georginio Wijnaldum made an immediate impact off the bench, scoring a brace in a two-minute span just before the hour mark to tie the aggregate score at 3-3.

Wijnaldum's first goal in the 54th minute came via a low drive that sneaked past Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

His second goal in the 56th minute was scored through a header, with the Dutchman diverting Xherdan Shaqiri's cross into the back of the net.

That set up a thrilling finish, with both sides looking to score the goal that would send them to the Champions League final.

Liverpool sent their fans into a frenzy when they completed the comeback in the 79th minute. Trent Alexander-Arnold executed a cheeky corner kick, finding a wide-open Origi, who scored the match-winner.

The Reds went on to win their sixth Champions League title after that, beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in the final.

Mohamed Salah opened the scoring with an early penalty in the second minute before Origi sealed the win with a goal in the 87th minute.

They may have won the Champions League trophy there, but for some, that victory pales in comparison to Liverpool's magical win over Barcelona.

Fans troll Liverpool after Atalanta loss

Sports Brief recently reported on fans trolling Liverpool after their embarrassing loss to Atalanta.

Some made fun of Anfield being a fortress after they conceded three goals on Thursday.

Gianluca Scamacca starred for the Italian side in the victory, scoring a brace in the Europa League match.

Authors
Joel Reyes photo
Joel Reyes
Joel Reyes is a sports editor at Sportsbrief.com with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of the Philippines. He has eight years of work experience in sports writing.